Jordan Shimmell, locals fare well in Toughman Professional Boxing at Orbit Room

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- It was a tough night for some and less challenging for others on a fight card that never saw the third round in eight bouts Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Orbit Room.

The Toughman Professional Boxing show offered plenty of local talent, but lacked in longevity (no bouts entered the third round), even in the main event where Jordan Shimmell (8-0, 7 KOs) defeated Jackie Beard (7-10-1, 7 KOs) just over a minute into the first round.

Beard lasted about as long as most of Shimmell's opponents do and worked to make an early impact before being dominated by Shimmell's relentless combinations.

"There was a point in the fight where Jackie tried touching gloves and I ignored it," Shimmell said. "I didn't know if it was a trick or what it was. Then later in the round after the ref broke us he came in to touch gloves again and I kind of reached out hesitantly and he tried to sucker punch me but didn't land it. So, at that point, it kind of upset me so I was like, 'OK, if you want to play it that way.'"

Forcing Beard into a corner, Shimmell started to land power punches one after another, forcing him to take a knee.

The barrage continued after the eight-count and the fight ended at 1:35 into the first round.

"He went back a little bit on one shot," Beard said. "But he threw combination after combination, the last time I saw that many combinations was at McDonald's."

"I take my hat off to him, I'm not going to knock him at all," Beard said. "He's a good fighter and I knew he was going to be a good fighter. I knew if I was able to connect with him I could (hurt him), but I couldn't."

Smiling with his father, Dennis, and grandfather Dennis Sr. around him, the West Michigan Heavyweight Championship belt was wrapped around Shimmell's waist to a cheering crowd.

"I was trying to get good clean body shots in then come back up with good clean head shots," Shimmell said. "Then he got back up. He showed some heart by getting back up and I continued to hit him and the ref jumped in."

Shimmell said he didn't get caught by any of Beard's big hay-makers, but knew to stay out of the way of them as well.

"He's got power, that's for sure, so I respect that, but I just needed to fight smart and catch him when I could," Shimmell said. "I hope the fans got their money's worth and enjoyed the show."

In the co-main event, Purnell Gates (23-2, 15 KOs) was able to apply pressure to Allan Moore's mid-section, rendering him ineffective for most of the fight. Gates dropped Moore multiple times in the bout, finally getting the stoppage just 22 seconds into the second round.

"I knew we got him at the last minute so I decided that I'd work the body," Gates said. "Even though he was all cut up (muscular), when you haven't been in the gym working, I just took my time to see what he had. I just wanted to go back to the corner to see what (trainer) Dennis (Shimmell) said and he agreed, he said 'P, work the body.'"

In other action, Vincent Jennings, in his professional debut stopped Mateo Soto 1:48 into round two. Soto, who fights in mixed martial arts as well as boxing showed he can take a punch after Jennings was able to get inside him, hitting him with straight jabs and crosses.

"He stayed up in there in the first round," Jennings said. "I was just getting warmed up by the time the second round started, it takes me awhile to get warmed up."

As Soto started to feel that sting, his MMA background came to the forefront and he started grabbing Jennings and tying him up.

"When he started getting rough, I concentrated on touching the body," Jennings said. "It doesn't look like it's doing much but you just start hitting him to the body (while being tied up) and it takes the wind out of him slowly."

In another bout, James Thomas took on Andrew Moreno at 135 pounds. Moreno decided his best chance was to try and teach Thomas a little about mixed martial arts. That didn't turn out well for Moreno as Thomas took advantage of his reach and dropped Moreno multiple times to get the stoppage in the second round.

"He walked into a couple shots but he was hurt," Thomas said. "He felt that power and he knew if he came back he was going to get it again."

Javonn "Pinky" Barnes also made his professional debut, defeating Jamie Castellano in the second round. Castellano, after taking some abuse throughout the first round, took to headlocks to try and gain an advantage.

That didn't sit well with Pinky.

"He was going down for the count in the third, I didn't want to take him in the second," Barnes said, frustrated at the second round stoppage.

"He hugged me too, I didn't like that," Barnes said. "That's why I hit him in the stomach. Only my wife hugs me like that."